Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center facts for kids
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| Former name | Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center |
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| Established | 1983 |
| Location | 65 Government Street Mobile, Alabama, USA |
| Type | Science Museum |
| Visitors | 100,000 |
The Exploreum Science Center is a super fun place in Mobile, Alabama, USA. It's a special kind of science center where you can learn about science in many exciting ways! You can explore cool exhibits, watch amazing movies in the Digital Dome, see live demonstrations, and even take part in workshops. The Exploreum has awesome permanent areas like Hands On Hall, the Wharf of Wonder, Curiosity Factory, and My BodyWorks, which is all about health. They also bring in new, interactive exhibits from all over the world throughout the year!
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Exploreum's Story: How It Started
The idea for the Exploreum began in 1976. The Junior League of Mobile helped fund research to create a hands-on museum for kids in Mobile. This led to the creation of The Explore Center, Inc. It was a private, non-profit group focused on education.
The group worked hard and raised $1.3 million. This money helped them build a modern, 10,000 square foot building. The first Gulf Coast Exploreum "Museum of Science" opened its doors in 1983. It was located on Springhill Avenue.
However, the museum quickly became too small! By 1987, a committee was formed to find a new home. They decided that downtown Mobile would be perfect for a bigger, more modern science center. It would even have an IMAX theater.
It took a lot of planning, about 11 years in total. Construction then took 3 more years. Finally, in 1998, the new Exploreum opened. It's located on Government Street and is now a great place for people of all ages to visit.
Discovering Science: Permanent Exhibits
The Exploreum has several amazing permanent galleries for you to explore. These include Hands On Hall, the Wharf of Wonder, Curiosity Factory, and My BodyWorks.
My BodyWorks is a special health exhibit that opened in 2009. It's super interactive and uses cool technology to teach you about the human body. This exhibit was created with help from Infirmary Health Foundation. It's all about understanding your health and learning about jobs in healthcare. My BodyWorks even has a real biology lab! Here, science educators do experiments and teach you more about the topics in the gallery.
Hands On Hall is one of the Exploreum's first exhibit areas. It has more than 20 interactive exhibits where you can touch, play, and learn.
The Wharf of Wonder is a fantastic learning space for the youngest visitors, from babies to age 5. It was created with the help of the Junior League of Mobile.
Amazing Traveling Exhibits
The Exploreum often brings in exciting traveling exhibits from around the world. These exhibits cover many different science topics.
Some past exhibits have included:
- "Mysteries of Egypt: Wonderful Treasures from the Pharaoh's Tomb" in 2001.
- "China! 7,000 Years of Innovation" in 2002.
- "The Brain: It's All In Your Head" in 2004.
- "The Dead Sea Scrolls" in 2005.
- "Mummy: The Inside Story" in 2006.
- "A Day in Pompeii" in 2007.
- "Our Body: The Universe Within" in 2008, which showed real human bodies preserved through a process called plastination.
- "Bob the Builder - Project Built It" in 2009.
- "Sea Lion Splash" in 2010.
- "Kangaroo Kraze" in 2011, which featured live kangaroos!
- In 2019, "Genghis Khan: The Great Civilizer" displayed over 400 artifacts, costumes, and weapons. It also had live performances by Mongolian artists.
Cool Features to Explore
The Exploreum has some other awesome features for visitors.
The J.L. Bedsole IMAX Dome Theater is a unique place to watch movies. It's the only domed IMAX theater on the Gulf Coast! It has shown many incredible films, from "Everest" in 1998 to "Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour De France" in 2008.
The Ciba Lab is where you can see amazing science demonstrations. You can even join in the fun! The lab has amphitheater-style seating, so everyone gets a great view.
